For Love of Arts Month brings music, plays, poetry, visual arts and more

By S. Derrickson Moore / dmoore@lcsun-news.com

Posted:
02/02/2013 06:20:24 PM MST

Click photo to enlarge

Lillis Urban sings a high note Friday while performing during the open mic event held at the Rio Grande Theatre at the Music on Main Streets For Love of Art Month kickoff at this month's Downtown Ramble.

LAS CRUCES — February For the Love of Art Month, a concept that started in a Mesilla Park backyard in 1998, now involves hundreds of artists and thousands of arts aficionados in a month-long celebration. This weekend's kickoff involves live music as well as poetry, visual and performing arts.

Ground Zero for event openings throughout downtown Las Cruces this weekend was the ArtForms Member Show at the Branigan Cultural Center.

ArtForms was founded in the mid-1990s by a group of regional artists that included Kelley Hestir and Myriam Lozada-Jarvis. They envisioned an inclusive event that would feature performing and visual artists of all ages, along with some art "happenings" that over the years have included an art car parade and a bohemian banquet with handcrafted dishes, artistic cuisine and dancers.

"This year, we've really tried to reach out to the public a little more," said Joanna Bradley, an artist and nine-year member of ArtForms.

With accessible exhibit themes, a chance to meet artists and see where they work, and a variety of performers, Bradley said, "We've tried to show that art isn't a snooty thing. It's something we all can enjoy and it's a lot of fun."

A little off the monthly downtown Art Ramble Main Street area, where most galleries and museums are clustered, members of Las Cruces Arts Association attempted to lure art lovers to their Mountain Gallery exhibit with bowers of colorful, giant handmade paper flowers.

Debbie Morris noted that the month-long celebration, and membership in arts groups, is fun for artists, too.

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"I've made friends and been able to show my work. I'm one of the few photographers in the group," Morris said.

Starting a tour of exhibits on Main Street at MVS Studios, Dave and Teena Robinson of Santa Fe said it was a return trip to check out FLAM activities again.

"We run tours ourselves in Santa Fe and we're interested in what you're doing here, and we also came to see a friend who has an exhibit at the Las Cruces Museum of Art," Dave Robinson said.

"People seem to be really happy to be participating this year. They're excited about it," said ArtForms member Rebecca Courtney.

Among new venues and participants this year is the New America School-Las Cruces, where Anthony Tarazoff was scurrying Friday to hang an exhibit by members of the new charter school's art club.

"I love space and everything about it. I spend a lot of time looking up at the stars and thinking that we know more about space than we know about our own oceans," said Zach Nieto, 17, who has two paintings with cosmic themes in the New America School exhibit.

Nieto said he's looking forward to attending other For the Love of Art Month exhibits and events.

Participating artists of all ages range from creative kids at Alma d'arte, Las Cruces' charter arts high school, to senior citizens who will host special exhibits at Munson Center and Northrise.

Most exhibits that opened this weekend will run through Feb. 28 and some of the biggest events are yet to come.

Over 20 artists will talk about their work and greet guests at during FLAM Studio Tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the weekends of Feb. 9 and 10 and 23 and 24.

The free FLAM Show Feb. 15 and 16 at the Las Cruces Convention Center will feature both visual and performing arts.

A new Music on Main Street program will include a variety of concerts and presentations, many of them free, at the Rio Grande Theatre and venues around the downtown area.

For a full roster of FLAM events, pick up For the Love of Art Month February Event Guides at museums and galleries around town, download at www.artformsnm.org and check updates throughout February in Pulse, Friday SunLife sections and online at www.lcsun-news.com.